Coming down the stretch, the Golden Bear was wobbling. Wilting. Staggering. The Monster had him by the throat. But the Bear didn’t get to be a legend by not bearing up under pressure.
Playing in his 40th U.S. Open, the one he says may very well be his last, Jack Nicklaus bogeyed his last four holes at Oakland Hills Friday. But after a back-nine 39, his 72-74-146 still made the cut by two shots.
Nicklaus had said he wouldn’t play in this year’s British Open if he didn’t make the cut at Oakland Hills. After making it, he said he would wait until Sunday to decide. He also left future U.S. Opens up in the air.
“I said this would be my last Open but I really want the USGA to give me an exemption. If they want me to come back and give me a ceremonial exemption, you know, Pebble Beach (in 2000) or someplace else, that would be very nice.”
Woods leaning? He still might. He still might not. But after shooting 76-69-145 to make the cut, two-time U.S. Amateur champion Tiger Woods did nothing to quash speculation he may leave Stanford, where he’s a sophomore, and turn pro after playing in two late-summer PGA Tour events.
He has received invitations to the Aug. 29-Sept. 1 Greater Milwaukee Open and the Sept. 12-15 Quad Cities Classic in Coal Valley, Ill.
Would Woods turn pro if he won either tournament?
“If I won, I might, yeah,” he said. “Because now I have an exemption and it’s nice to know I have a guaranteed two years.”
Stricker commits: He isn’t on tournament director Greg McLaughlin’s list yet but Kemper Open champ Steve Stricker, of Edgerton, Wis., says he will play in the July 4-7 Motorola Western Open. It will be his third.